Door-locking mechanism



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Patented Now-1b, 1925.

` UNITED. STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. BALES, 0F AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIQNOR T0 LYON METALLIC IIANUFAC-TUBING COMPANY, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DOOR-LOCKING: MECHANISM.

Application led June 25,' 1921. Serial No. 48Q,282.

To all whom'z't may conc-ern.:

Beit known that` I, JAMES E. BALES, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Aurora, in the county of IKane and State of Illinois, haveinventcd`a certain new and vuseful l Improvement in Door-LockingMechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

Y My' invention 'relates to' door locking mechanisms, especially forclothes lockers andthe like.

the door frame to hol-d the door closed, and a key operated lock whichmay be less rugged than the latch. The latch is provided with a handlefor lifting .it and the bolt of the lock-is biased by Aa spring orotherwise towards acting posit-ion. As a result of my invention theoperator can insert the key, rotate it and take it out, and afterwardspay no attention as far as the key is.

` objects of my invention. Another object is to provide door lockingmechanism having a key controlled lock havinga spring operated bolt, anda latch adapted to be locked by the bolt. and biased'towards actingposition, so that it will automatically latch when the door isA closedand the handle released, and yet will, so long .as the handle is acting,pre- 'vent Vthe projection of the bolt, the mechanism also having a doerservingV as an alternative device for holding the bolt retracted butadapted to move to non-acting position automatically as thedoorp ymovesshut, Contributory objects will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds. A f

I accomplish my obj ects by the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which- A i,

Figure 1 is a view showing the inside rof a locker door Vand frameequipped with mechanism embodyingmy invention. l

My mechanisn'f includes a 7 rugged, hand-operated latch for engagmgFigure 2 is a view of a portion 'of the locking mechanism showing thesame in a A different position from the one shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on the line3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan section on the line 4-4, Figure 1.-

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation 0n the line 5 5, Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a. perspective View on an enlarged scale showing the latchlifting andv locking mechanism.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view on the l1ne 4-"4, Figure l.

Like numerals denotes like part-s throughout the several views.

lVhile my device is not restricted to steel i lockers, it has certaincharacteristics of special. advantage in connection with such istructures, and I have therefore chosen to illustrate the invention asapplied to a structure of that type.

Referring to the drawings, the door frame 1 has hinges 2 by which thedoor 3 is supported. rlhe door has marginal flanges 6, 7

andS, the flange 6 being at -the free 'vertical flange 6. The bar hasvertical slots 2l near the top and bottom which accommodate the Shanksof large headed pins 22 lriveted to flange 6. Thus the bar is free toslide up and down a limited distance to raise and lower the latches andcause them 'to disengage and engage the catches 10,11 and 12.

edge of the door, the flange 7 at the hinged i The noses of the latchesare beveled on the v under edge so they will ride over the catches asthe door moves shut. It will be observed that the latch bar, latches andcatches may easily be made (and are shown to be) .com-

.paratively largeand rugged and hence remaui operative at all times,"even though the door anddoor frame be made of very light gauge metaland con uently be subject to a. certain amountof istortion. I n otherwords, a moderate distortion of the door or door frame, due to theemployment of `light f nisin, which need not be described as spring thebolt is automatically held back as soon gauge metal or abuse will notlprevent my locking mechanism from being operative. l

The latch bar niaybe lifted by means of a handle 25 pivoted on a pin 26carried by a bracket 28 on the front of the door, as shown in Figure andelsewhere, The handle has an arm 30 which passes through a hole 31formed in a lever 32 fulcrumed on a stationary pin 33 carried by a plate3 4 fastened t0 the inside of the door as best shown in Figure 7. Saidlever at one end' projects into apertures formed in latch and bar 20, asbest shown at thef'righbend of Figure 7. When the lever mocks about itsfulcruni 33 it raises and lowers the latch- Vbar and the latchesfastenedthereto.

At I@he opposite end lever 32-has a lug 38 which overlies the bolt 40'ofa lock 42 when the bolt is shot or projected, as shown in Figs uresl, 4,*6 and 7'. V The result is that when the lock is locked-that is,when the bolt isvv 32, and hence a small and delicate lock may be usedif desired, and yet this will not weaken the construction of the lockingmecha- 35. nisni as'a whole.

`Loek 42 is a spring lock, and the bolt is constantly urged outward byspring mecha.-

locks are articles oficoiiii'iion use. lt is op'- erated by a key 44. Tonow refer to tlie mechanism by which as it is retracted by the VAkey: atumbler 5() is pivotally mounted upon a pin 51 carried by a bracketz52bolted or otherwise rigidly fastened to the iiiside of the door androtatable in a plane parallel to the plane ot the door.4 This tumbler.has a lug '54 which underlies bolt 40 when the' latter is projected,

' as-shown in Figures 1, 4, 6, and 7. This as illustrated in Figure 2.Thus the lug 54' forms a self acting dog for holding the bolt may beregarded as the non-operating posi-V tion of the tumbler. The tumbler isoverbalanced, however, and when it is disengaged gravity rotates it to aposition in whicliw lug 54 will rise into the path of bolt 40 and holdthe latter in' retracted position.

in non-acting position. At the end opposite to lug 54 tumbler 50 hasalug 56 to which is'pivoted a cam 58 which hangs freely penydant from apin .59carr'ied by\ lug 56as shown in perspective in Figure 6. The cam'is free to swing inward' away from the door,

but cannot 'swing in the opposite direction as it is backed'up by thetumbler. The cani The function of the lock isis so constructed that whenthe door moyes shut' the cam will engage catch 11 and ride up over it,thus lifting the adjacent end of' tumbler 50 and lowering the lug or dog54 and releasing bolt 40. `In other words, cam 58 constitutes a trip fortilting the tumbler to such position as to release the bolt. When thedoor is moved open, the cam, being freely pivoted on its pin 59, swingsfreely andrides over the catch. Operation: When the door is lockedandunder normal conditions theparts assume the relative positions shown inFigure' 1. The lug 38 of the latch-lifting lever '32 overlies bolt 40and lug 54 underlies it and is held down by it. If, now, the operatorinserts and rotates vthe key and draws back the bolt he frees the lug 38and hence makes it possible toflift the latch bar and latches bymanipulating the handle 25. The' retraction of the bolt also releasesthe lug 54 of tumbler SO-and gravity causes the heavier end of thetumbler to drop and to move lug 54 up into the path of the bolt, A

thus Holding it back, as shown in Figure `2. It is immaterial whetherthe usci-then leaves the key in the lock or takes it out. The

a tumbler will hold its acting position and hold4 the bolt'puslied backuntil the 'tumbler is tripped. One of the advantages of this con#struction is that although the lock is a springlock, it is not necessaryfor the operator to manipulate handle 25 while holding the boltretracted by means of the Ikey. The two operations of rotating thekeyand lmanipulating the handle 25 may occur one after the other insteadof having to occur -siinultane` "ously and'iequiring two hands for thepur-y pose. As soon Vas the bolt is retracted'it stays retracted untilthe locker doorhas been without withdrawing the key, may pull on thehandle 25 thus rotating the lever 32 and im lifting-@he .hitch bar andlatches. As the door swings open the cam 58 willl swing on its pivot andproduce no effect upon the tumbler. l Then the operator wishes to closethe locker he simply pushes the door shut, whereupon the cam 58 ridesnpover catch'- 11, lifting the adjacent end .of the tumbler -liiu opened,and closed.A As soon as the bolthas ,4105 been retractedvand the lug 54has moved toV acting position, the operator, either with or andloweiing'lug 54 out of engagement with the bolt; At the same time thelatches 14,

15, 16 ride up over the catches 10, .1l and 12 and finally drop intolocking position, causing the lug 38 to rise. 'Thusfthe closing lof thedoor causes the lug 54,146/ descend out of the way of bolt 4 0 andca'i'ises the lug 38 to rise out of the way of 'the bolt and hence tlie'spring in the lock moves the bolt outward to locking position and theparts return to the condition shown in Figure 1.

`As previously indicated, my mechanism has atleast two importantadvantages; first, lthere is no strain on the lock itself. .The

strain comes on parts which are controlled by the lock, but which may bemade strong and rugged and of a size enabling them always to operateeven though the door'may be abused and bent more or less out of shape.A-second advantage is that when the operator turns the keyv in the lockthe bolt will be withdrawn and will stay back under the automatic actionof the mechanism, and the operator may release his hand from the key orwithdraw the key altogether and subsequently manipulate the handle 25 tolift the latches and release the door. Thus my device aifords theadvantage of a spring lock combined with the advantage of operating thekey and the door handle in sequence instead of forcing the operator tohold the bolt retracted until the door is opened.

Having` thus described by invention what- I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. Door locking mechanism having a latch i for locking vthe door, ahandle on the front of the doorfor lifting the latch, a spring urgedbolt for .locking` the latchin vacting position, key-operated meansaccessible by Vkey from the front ofthe door for retracting the bolt,means for preventing 'the bolt from llocking'prematurely including a dogfor holding the bolt retracted, andmeans operated by the door frame asthe door is closing for moving the dog to release the bolt.

2. A door locking mechanism having a 'i latch for locking the door, akey vcontrolled lock having a spring projected bolt remote from the doorframe and adapted when projected to prevent the latch from disengagingthe door` frame, a dog for normally holding the bolt retractedLandmea-nsadapted to cooperate with the door frame when the door is closing forcausing the dog to release the bolt, the latch therefore remaining"unlocked until the door is closed.

3. In combination, a door and door frame,

'Y a liftable latch for holding the door closed,

v"dog adapted to engage the door frame as a key operated lock-having aspring projected bolt which when projected vprevents the lifting of thelatch, a dog `for normally holding the bolt retracted, and a cam on thethe door moves shut or moving the dog to non-acting position, thusautomatically releasing the bolt upon closure of the door.

4:. In combination, a door and door frame, a latch for holding the doorclosed, a spring actuated bolt which when projected prevents the liftingof the latch, a self-acting dog pivotally mounted on the door, anda camon thel dog adapted to elgage the door frame as the door moves shut, formoving the dog to nonacting position, the cam being pivoted to the dogand being adapted to yield-as the door moves open. l

5. In comb1nat1on,a door and door frame,

a vertically movable latch bar, a plurality of latches on said bar forengaging the door frame at a plurality'of points, a lock having a springactuated bolt for j )reveliting the lifting ofthe latch bar, aself-acting dog adapted to hold the bolt retracted, said dog beingadapted to be held non-active by the bolt when the latter is projected,a cam adapted to engage the door frame as the door moves shut for movingthe dog from acting to nonacting position, and means blocked bythe boltwhen the latter is projected for preventing the lifting of the latchwhen the bolt is projected.

G. In combination, a door frame, a door hinged to the frame, a latchmounted on the door and adapted to engage the frame for holding the doorclosed, the latch having a cam whereby it automatically is lifted as thedoor moves shut and finally drops into acting position when the doorreaches closed position, a handle on the outside of the door for liftingthe latch, 'a key operated spring lock mounted on the door and having aVbolt retracted, saididog being adapted to be held in non-acting positionby the bolt whereby when the bolt is retracted the dog automaticallymoves to acting position to hold the `bolt retracted, and means carriedby the door` and adapted to engage the door frame for moving the dog tonon-acting position as the door closes.

7. Door-locking mechanism having a liftable, gravity-operated latch forlocking the door, a handle on the front of the door for lifting thelatch, a bolt biased towards projected position for preventing the latchfrom being lifted, key-operated means accessible. by key .from the frontof the door for retracting the bolt, a dog foi' preventing the bolt frombeing projectedlafter'it has been retracted, and means actuatable by thedoor frame when the door is closing for causing the dog to release thebolt.

8 The combination with adoor, door Vkey for holding the bolt retracted,viz the ,Adetent and the doo' g, one controlled 'manuallyv and the otherautomatically.

9. In combination, a door and door frame, 'a latch for holdingy the doorclosed, a

frame, a latch for holding the dobr frame closed,a key operated lockmounted on the door and having a spring actuated bolt adapted to prevent.the lifting of the latch,

' and a dog adapted 'to hold the bolt retract out thereby causing thelatch to locked ed, ythe dog being biased toward acting position andbeing adapted' to be held nony .active by theprojected bolt whereby thebolt, upon being retracted is held retracted to permit the user towithdraw the key With- 'by the bolt.

l1. Door locking mechanism having a hand voperated latch for holding thedoor closed, a key controlled lock including a spring projected bolt frlocking the latch, a dog for holding the bolt retracted, said detentbeing biasedtoward lact-ing position,

the 'bolt when projected holding the dog in non-actingl position andreleasing the dogupon being retracted, and: means operated -by thedoor'frame formoving the/dog to non-acting Iposition and thus4permitting -the bolt to move `to lockingposition; v

12. Door locking mechanism having a 1i ftable latch for holdin the doorclosed, a key controlled lock inclu 'ng a spring projected Cbolt forlocking theI latch, a dog lfor hold.- 'ing the bolt 1'etracted,.saiddetent being biasedv toward acting position, the bolt when projectedholding thev dog in non-acting position and releasing the dog when thebolt is retracted, means operated by the door frame for moving the dogto non-acting position,l a handle for lifting the latch vand meansoperated by the handle for preventing the lock boltfrom being projectedwhen the latch is in non-acting posit-ion.

13. Door-locking mechanism havingv a latchgfor locking the door, saidlatch being' manually liftable, .an independent, manually retractiblebolt for preventingxthe latch from being lifted, a spring, for normallyholding the bolt projectedin locking posi'v tion, a dog for preventingthe bolt from being projected, and -1'neans adapted to cooperate withthc door frame when the door lis closing for causing the dog to releasethe bolt and thereby permit the bolt to move to projected, latch-lockingposition.

14. Door-locking mechanism having a latch for locking the door, saidlatch being biased toward locking position, a bolt remote `from the edgeof the door for preventing the latch from being unlocked, a .spring forkurging the .bolt toward locking position to lock the latch,Vkeyoperated means accessible by key from the front of the door forretraeting thenbolt, a stop for holding the bolt-retracted, said stopbeing biased toward acting position and beingr held iu non-actingposition by ,the bolt when the latter is projected whereby the retraction of the bolt will release the stop and permitit to move to actingposition, and means adapted to cooperate with the door lframe when thedoor is closing yfor tripping the stop" and causing it to release thebolt -and thereby permit the spring to` projectthe bolt to lock thelatch. 1

' In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub.- s'cribed my name.A

I JAMES E. BALES.

